Kyocera, the Japanese IT equipment and industrial ceramics manufacture, has come up with an interesting way to keep its buildings cool and green carbon emissions low – yes, you know it – “edible curtains” (aka ‘green curtains’)

Kyocera first started growing Green Curtains at its Okaya Plant in Nagano Prefecture, Japan in 2007 as part of its energy conservation / global warming prevention activities, and since then they have also been adopted at other Kyocera Group locations throughout Japan. (Kyocera press release)

Turns out that Kyocera was able to confirm that

the green curtains can decrease the temperature by as much as 15 degrees C (27 degrees F).

In addition,

the green curtains are working to absorb an estimated 23,481 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, which is roughly the same amount that can be absorbed by 761 cedar trees.

And

the green curtains also give workers a bounty of cucumbers, peas and bitter gourd called goya, which land on their cafeteria menus.